Work machines may be powered by electrical systems. In some instances, an electrical propulsion system will include an electric drive traction system that provides driving forces to traction devices of the work machines. In some electric drive traction systems, switched reluctance motors are used to provide the driving force.
Switched reluctance motors may have various motor topologies (e.g., the number of stator poles, the number of coils, and the number of rotor poles). In addition, a switched reluctance motor may be configured with a plurality of phases (e.g., 2 phases, 3 phases, 4 phases, or more). A switched reluctance motor may have a plurality of stator poles, each with a winding of electrically conductive wires or coil positioned therearound. The number of wires and the configuration of the coil is one factor that affects the efficiency of the operation of the switched reluctance motor.
Control systems are often used to control the operation of the switched reluctance motors. A controller of the control system may generate a command to generate a series of electrical pulses of a desired magnitude and duration to generate a desired output torque. The data used to control the switched reluctance motors may be generated based upon empirical data or data generated as a result of simulations. When using simulated data to control a switched reluctance motor, the efficiency of the operation will be dependent upon the accuracy of the simulation. In many instances, the simulations only analyze the self flux resulting from the input current and thus the data generated by the simulation may result in a machine operating at less than ideal efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,125,170 discloses a technique and apparatus for measuring mutual inductance in a switched reluctance machine. Different techniques are disclosed to determine empirical data for the mutual inductance. A method of making a switched reluctance motor fault tolerant is also disclosed.
The foregoing background discussion is intended solely to aid the reader. It is not intended to limit the innovations described herein, nor to limit or expand the prior art discussed. Thus, the foregoing discussion should not be taken to indicate that any particular element of a prior system is unsuitable for use with the innovations described herein, nor is it intended to indicate that any element is essential in implementing the innovations described herein. The implementations and application of the innovations described herein are defined by the appended claims.